Metallurgical vessel,such as a crucible or converter



NOV. 11, 1969 Q PUHRINGER ET AL 3,477,706

METALLURGICAL YESSEL, SUCH AS A CRUCIBLE OR CONVERTER Filed Nov. 15, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ha. I

INVENTOR' HElNZ GRUBER OTHMAR PUHRINGER W aw QM THEIR ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1969 Q PL'lHRlNGER ETAL 3,477,706

METALLURGICAL VESSEL, SUCH AS A CRUCIBLEJ OR CONVERTER Filed Nov. 15, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT'OR HEINZ GRUBER OTHMAR PUHRINGER THEIR ATTORNEYS NOV. 11, 1969 Q. UHR|NGER ET AL 3,477,706

SUCH AS A CRUCTBLE OR CONVERTER METALLURGICAL VESSEL,

Filed NOV. 15, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet PIC-3.3

INVENTOR HEINZ GRU BER OTHMAR' PUHRINGER THEIR ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1969 H W R ET AL 3,477,706

METALLURGICAL VESSEL. SUCH AS A CRUCIBLE OR CONVERTER Filed Nov. 15,1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4b

INVENTOR F/G.4c HEINZ GRUBER OTHMAR PUHRlNGER THEiR ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 26636 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE v The invention providesa tiltable metallurgical vessel suspended in a carrying ring having diametrically spaced trunnions by a new type of supporting means arranged to respectively take up bearing and tilting forces in a statically easily definable fashion and to accommodate any stresses caused by thermal expansion, while avoiding impact shocks during tilting, wherein the supporting means for taking up the bearing forces are arranged to extend substantially along the axis of said trunnions and comprise two annular lugs connected to the converter shell and adapted to receive corresponding carrying disks connected to the carrying ring, and wherein the means for taking up the tilting force is arranged to extend substantially perpendicular of the trunnion axis and again comprises .an annular lug connected to the converter shell and receiving a corresponding tilting disk connected to the carrying ring.

Tiltable metallurgical vessels, such as crucibles or con verters for refining pig iron, comprise a cylindrical or pear-shaped, refractory-lined vessel, the bottom part of whichmay either be integral with or removable from the shell part. A carrying ring is ,mounted to surround the shell of such a converter approximately at the level of the center of gravity of the charged converter, said carrying ring being rigidly connected to two trunnions. By means of electric or hydraulic drives acting on the trunnions, the converter is capable of being tilted from an approximately verticalblowing position into an inverted position for complete emptying. The carrying ring has the function of reliably holding the converter in all positions and of transmitting to the converter the forces which are exerted by the drive means.

A tiltable converter has already become known where the supporting means taking up the bearing and tilting forces are designed as a plurality of annular lugs connected to the converter shell to extend radially in one plane for engagement with corresponding supporting studs designed as bolts, which are connected to the carrying ring. With this known construction, the forces or stresses acting on the converter are statically indeterminable because of the large number of bearing points, and, in addition, complicated adapting and adjusting work is necessary.

In the construction of converter assemblies, efforts have been made to provide a statically defined support for the converter, whereby any changes in position and shape, which are due to thermal expansion, can be accurately controlled. It has been proposed to mount converters in their carrying rings by means of a so-called three-point support, wherein two supporting means taking up the bearing forces (load) and designed as pairs of brackets are situated diametrically opposite each other, respectively above and below the trunnion axis, and a further pair of brackets, which takes-up the tilting force, is arranged 3,477,706 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 perpendicularly thereto. In order to accommodate the radial and longitudinal expansions of the converter vessel, which arise during a furnace campaign, it has further been proposed to design the bearing surfaces of the brackets as inclined planes. In putting these construction principles into actual practice, however, it has shown that, due to the necessity of translating the bearing points into a finite dimension, each bearing point would comprise a plurality of bearing surfaces, which, during a full turn of the converter, are alternately employed to take over the load. Thus, apart from the fact that a plurality of load carrying parts involve ahigh constructional expenditure, the construction is also no longer statically defined.

The present invention proceeds from a tiltable converter supported in a preferably box-section carrying ring which surrounds the converter shell, bysupporting means taking up bearing and tilting forces, said supporting means comprising annular lugs connected to the converter shell and adapted to receive corresponding supporting members connected to the carrying ring, and. has as its object to avoid the described disadvantages and difficulties by providing a new, statically defined converter support which is capable of accommodating any changes in the shape of the converter caused by thermal influences, which comprises only a small and statically easily analysable numbar of surfaces taking up bearing forces, and which, as a whole, is simplified in construction, in comparison with prior art.

The construction of the invention is characterised in that for taking up the bearing forces two supporting members designed as carrying disks are so arranged opposite each other that their axes lie in the plane defined by the trunnion axis and the longitudinal axis of the converter. Suitably, the carrying disks are arranged coaxial with the trunnions of the converter assembly and are preferably either rigidly connected to or integral with parts of the trunnions projecting inside the carrying ring.

According to a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the carrying disks, which take up the bearing forces, is smaller than that of the annular lugs so that a clearance results, opposite to the bearing points, between the periphery of the carrying disks and the inner surface of the annular lugs. The rim of the carrying disks is preferably cambered.

Suitably, the converter shell is reinforced in the region of the annular lugs by means of braces welded to the converter shell and projecting radially from said lugs.

A further preferred characteristic of the invention, with a view to providing statically defined conditions, is that, for transmitting the tilting force, a third annular lug receiving the corresponding tilting disk connected to the carrying ring, is arranged on the converter shell, preferably perpendicular to and equally spaced from each of the supporting means and arranged in the trunnion axis. On the shell of the converter and diagrammatically opposite to the means for taking up the tilting force, a guide means, comprising two guide rails welded to the converter shell, may be provided, a pin connected to the carrying ring extending between the rails.

Further suitable characteristics of the invention reside in that the means for taking up the tilting force comprises an elastic member, and that the carrying disks are provided with a bore for the circulation of cooling air; these characteristics are evident from the following detailed description in connection with the drawing illustrating an embodiment of the invention by way of example. In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a front view, partly in longitudinal section, of a converter; FIG. 2 shows a corresponding plan view, and FIG. 3 a side elevation. FIG. 4 illustrates in four successive stages the function of a preferred embodiment of the converter support according to the invention.

Numeral 1 denotes a converter for refining pig iron. Approximately at the level of its center of gravity, it is surrounded by the box-section carrying ring 2, to which the trunnions 3 are connected. The converter is suspended in the carrying ring by supporting means taking up the bearing forces. The constructional details of said supporting means are evident from the part of FIG. 1 shown as a sectional view.

At the opposite places on the converter, in the axis of the trunnions, i.e. coaxial with the latter, annular lugs 4 are provided, having a hollow cylindrical shape. With the aid or radial reinforcement ribs 5, the lugs are rigidly connected, e.g. welded, to the converter shell. A cylindrical disk 6 which is supported on a part 3' of the trunnion protruding inside the carrying ring, and rigidly connected to the carrying ring by means of screws 7, projects into the annular lugs 4, as evident from FIG. 1. Thus, half the weight of the converter is transmitted to each of the opposite disks 6 and therefrom to the trunnions 3. In this arrangement, the transverse forces are substantially taken up by the trunnion part 3, and the axial forces by the carrying ring via the screw 7.

Perpendicular to the oppositely placed annular lugs 4 and at an equal distance to each, a supporting means for transmitting the tilting force between carrying ring 2 and converter 1' is provided, said means being designed similar to those means taking up the bearing forces. Again, it comprises a hollow cylindrical lug 8 with radial reinforcement ribs 9, and a tilting disc 10 engaging therewith. This tilting disk is mounted on a bolt 11 penetrating a bore in the carrying ring.

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, an elastic member may be incorporated in this means for taking up the tilting force. For instance, a sleeve made from elastic material may be stuck on the bolt 11, said sleeve providing a deformable cushion against the carrying ring.

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, where the tilting disk is arranged perpendicular to the trunnion axis and thus perpendicular to the axes of the carrying disks, and where the axis of the tilting disk is in a plane with the axes of the carrying disks, is the most favorable solution from the statical point of view.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show further that a guide means is arranged opposite to the means for taking up the tilting force. This guide means comprises two guide rails14 welded to the converter shell and a pin 13 connected to the carrying ring, said pin engaging between the guide rails. By means of this device, the converter is secured against displacements in horizontal direction; no forces are taken up in vertical direction.

The described figures show further that the supporting means may have bores 15 through which cooling air can be supplied.

FIG. 4 demonstrates the preferred embodiment of the support according to the invention, in which the carrying disks 6 taking up the bearing forces have a smaller diameter than the annular lugs 4 so that, diametrically opposite to the bearing point, a clearance 16 between carrying disk and inner surface of the annular lug results. This clearance is exaggerated in FIG. 4 in order to be more clearly visible; actually, the clearance is only a few millimeters wide.

The four successive positions of the converter during a full turn are designated by I, II, III, and IV in FIG. 4, while FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d demonstrate on a larger scale the rolling motions of the carrying disks 6 along the inner surface of the annular lugs 4 which correspond to the different positions of the converter.

In position I, the converter is in the upright blowing position. Point a of the carrying. disk coincides with point A of the. annular lug.

Position 11 is reached by a counter-clockwise 9Q tilting movement of the converter. The point of contact between carrying disk and annular lug shifts from a to b, while a certain sliding motion takes place between carrying disk and .annular lug. The extent of the this sliding motion during a quarter turn equals the difference between the two quarter circles AB and ab.

Position III is reached by a further turn, i.e. a turn from the blowing position. The point of contact between carrying disk'and annular lug shifts from b to c. The extent of the complete sliding motion now equals the difference between the semicircles AC and ac.

Position IV is reached by a further 90 turn of the converter, i.e. a total turn of 270 from the upright blowing position. The point of contact between carrying disk and annular lug shifts from c to d. The extent of the sliding motion equals the difference between the three-quarter circles AD and ad.

By a further 90 turn, the initial position is again reached. The load point has thus been shifted along the entire circumference of the carrying disk and the annular lug. Thus, a full turn of the converter results in a sliding motion which equals the difference between the circumference of the annular lug and the circumference of the carrying disk.

In order to facilitate the sliding motion during rolling off as well as any axial movement, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention the carrying disks 6 or the annular lugs 4 are provided with cambered contact surfaces. This is not detailed in the drawing.

It is further advisable to introduce a high temperature resistant lubricant between carrying disks and annular lugs, which lubricant is satisfactorily distributed during the sliding and rolling motion.

From the above description, it will be obvious to a man skilled in the art that the construction of the invention provides the following substantial advantages over the known constructions:

(1) Distribution of the converter weight to two cylindrical surfaces of very small length, as compared to their diameter, results in a statically defined support of the converter on the carrying ring, whereby the converter can expand freely on the cambered, lubricated surfaces of the carrying disks. Any overtaxing of individual parts of the support due to thermal expansion and distortion is thereby eliminated.

(2) The couple forces arising from the torque during tilting of the converter is definitely taken up by the tilting and carrying disks in any converter position.

(3) In any position of the converter, whether upright or inclined, the bearing forces and the tilting force are taken up by the same supporting means. The disadvantage that different means are successively engaged to take over the load during a rotation of the converter, is avoided by the invention. Owing to the cylindrical shape of the annular lugs and to the provision of a clearance, shocks and impacts are avoided. The clearance in the supporting construction can never cause an impact, due to the sliding or rolling motion.

(4) The power input to the converter shell is effected over a very slight distance. This circumstance as well as the fact that, throughout a rotation of the converter, the same cylindrical load accommodating means (4 and 5) transmit the load to the converter, provide favorable conditions owing to an even strain.

(5) With the converter of the invention, assembling work is reduced to a minimum. Due to the provision of the carrying and tilting disks, the converter with its annular lugs can be finished at the workshop. On site, the disks are simply placed into the lugs, the converter is inserted into the carrying ring, the disks engaged in the lugs are shifted into carrying position and screwed down. Welding on the building site is thus rendered unnecessary, and an X-ray control is no longer required.

Similarly to a new installation, exchange of a new converter for an old one can be carried out comparatively quickly.

(6) The heavy trunnions required for the support of the carrying ring are also used at the inner side of the carrying ring to take up the weight of the converter. Thereby, a very favorable force transmission of the converter load to the carrying ring results, since the heavy trunnion mounting in the carrying ring can be used almost without additional expenditure for taking up the load.

The tilting force is taken over by the supporting means at the mid-level of the carrying ring, whereby a favorable power intake is provided. Carrying ring-mounted fittings are no longer required. The carrying ring is completely smooth both on its upper and lower sides.

(7) The converter shell above and below the carrying ring remains completely smooth, whereby cooling by means of a jet of cooling air is facilitated.

(8) The connecting parts between converter and carrying ring are farther removed from the converter mouth and thereby from heat and slag influences than in known constructions. They can easily be protected against slag by a simple means.

(9) An effective cooling of the supporting means of these converters, which are subjected to extreme load conditions, can be realised by simple means. By inserting axial blast means into the hollow trunnions, cooling air can be supplied to the carrying disks.

What we claim is:

1. A tiltable metallurgical vessel having a substantially cylindrical shell and supported in a carrying ring having two diametrically spaced trunnions, by supporting means taking up bearing and tilting forces and comprising annular lugs connected to said vessel shell to receive corresponding supporting members connected to said carrying ring, two of said supporting members, which are destined to take up bearing forces, being designed as carrying disks so arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said carrying ring that their axes lie in a plane defined by the axis of said trunnions and the longitudinal axis of said vessel.

2. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrying disks are arranged coaxial with said trunnions.

3. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrying disks are connected to parts of said trunnions projecting inside said carrying ring and in axial alignment therewith.

4. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrying disks have an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of said annular lugs so that a clearance results opposite to the respective point of loadtransmitting engagement betwen lug and carrying disk.

5. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrying disks have cambered outer surfaces.

6. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular lugs have cambered inner surfaces.

7. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said vessel shell is reinforced in the region of said annular lugs by means of braces welded thereto and projecting radially from said lugs.

-8. A tiltable metallurgical vessel having a substantially cylindrical shell and supported in a carrying ring having diametrically spaced trunnions, by supporting means taking up bearing and tilting forces, said supporting means destined to take up the bearing forces comprising two annular lugs connected to said vessel shell to engage two corresponding carrying disks connected to said carrying ring and so arranged opposite to each other that their axes lie in a plane defined by the axis of said trunnions and the longitudinal axis of said vessel, and said supporting means destined to take up the tilting force comprising a third annular lug arranged on said vessel shell to receive a corresponding tilting disk connected to said carrying ring.

9. A vessel as set forth in claim 8 wherein said two annular lugs and said carrying disks engaging therein are arranged to extend coaxial with said trunnions while said third annular lug and said tilting disk received therein are arranged perpendicular to and equally spaced from each of said two annular lugs and carrying disks which are coaxial with said trunnions.

10. A vessel as set forth in claim 8 wherein said supporting means taking up bearing forces extend coaxial with said trunnions and said supporting means taking up the tilting force extend perpendicular and in equidistant relationship thereto, a guide means comprising two guide rails welded to said vessel shell and an engaging pin connected to said carrying ring being provided diametrically opposite to said means for taking up the tilting force.

11. A vessel as set forth in claim 8 wherein said supporting means destined to take up the tilting force includes an elastic member.

12. A vessel as set forth in claim 8 wherein said disks are provided with a bore for the circulation of cooling air.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,820,707 l/ 1958 Walker 266-35 X 3,367,647 2/ 1968 Dain. 3,373,985 3/1968 Puxkandl.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner J. S. BROWN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 248l37; 263--33 

